


After All This Time

by devil



Category: Rayman (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2017-12-05 15:19:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/724767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devil/pseuds/devil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minimus searches for Ales after the explosion, hoping to find something to prove the man is still alive and okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After All This Time

You deserve a rest. Take some time off. You need it.

That’s what they all told him after what happened on Moody Clouds. At first Minimus was resistant, though he eventually gave in. He told them all he was going to go out traveling, though that wasn’t entirely true.

Looking up from his map to the abandoned building in front of him, he checks to see if he’s in the right place. The numbers on the wall were faded, so it was hard to tell, but he felt certain this was it.

A queasy unsafe feeling rises just from being near the building. It looked like it could have been a sort of small factory at some point. Now it was just decayed and crumbling, too old and useless even for the inhabitants of the Livid Dead. It disturbed him some, to think anyone could live here. He almost hoped it wasn’t true. 

At the same time though, after all he's been through for this search to finally be over would be wonderful. No more months of searching, gathering information, running into dead end after dead end.

Entering, he almost immediately has second thoughts. The inside was worse than the outside. The walls were chipped and cracked. There didn’t seem to be any source of light other than the windows, which were boarded so only a small amount got through. It made him glad he thought to bring a flashlight. There was abandoned machinery and boxes everywhere. Cobwebs were everywhere and there was a scuttling sound in the distance; it wouldn’t surprise him if this place also had rats.

“Hello?” he shakily calls out, walking forward. Of course, there was no answer. The only noise that responds is the echoing of his own footsteps. Sighing, he continues on, looking through the building.

Fear wasn’t something he was used to feeling. As a king, as a helper of Rayman, he had to be strong, brave, ready to take on whatever challenges came up. This was different, however. There wasn’t much of a danger, in a way. What he feared in this journey was returning empty handed - unable to find what he wanted.

“Ales,” he whispers sadly, making it to the back of the building. Just like everywhere else he searched, there was nothing here. Ready to give up, he turns with a sigh, only to come face to face with the very man he was searching for - a large toothy grin on his face.

“Yessssss~? What can I help you with, dear king?”

Minimus can only stare at first, not sure if what was in front of him was real. After looking for so long, he wouldn’t doubt it if he started imagining things. 

“Don’t tell me you came all this way to just explore a dirty old building, Minimus.”

The teasing voice snaps the king out of his thoughts. He tries to speak, but only stutters. Reaching forward, he tries to touch the man, though stops, afraid. ”Are…are you real?”

A loud cackle comes from Ales. ”Have you become screwy in the head, my dear king? Of course I’m real! I’m living and well, no thanks to you.”

Near the end though, he’s still wearing a smile; his voice becomes slightly more menacing, and his eyes darken. ”Now, tell me, what do I owe this visit? Here to finish the job and kill me? Rid the world of an unnecessary evil?”

“Kill? What? No, Ales, no, that’s not…” Minimus stutters, trying to think of what to say. In the months of searching for the man, he rehearsed all the possible things he could say to Ales. All of that seemed to escape his mind now. ”I…I just wanted to see you, I had to make sure you were safe…”

There’s another cackle, and Minimus winces. It’s so unsettling. Something about Ales seems different than before. Even on Moody Clouds, he wasn’t this bad. 

“Make sure I’m safe? I’m sure!” The magician starts slinking towards him, an almost predatory look on his face. ”Whatever reason could you have for doing that! So you could arrest me, hm?”

“N-no, that’s not it.” That look on his face makes Minimus nervous; he tries to step away, but backs himself up into a wall. 

Taking advantage of the king’s blunder, Ales slams both his hands on either side of him, trapping the man. His eyes - full of sadistic joy - meet Minimus’, weary and confused. ”Then what is it? You wanted to see me again? Why? Don’t tell me you’re still having those silly thoughts of ‘love’. Dear king, I thought you were better than that!”

Clutching at the sides of his robes, Minimus drops his gaze to the floor. The Magician’s face is so close, nearly touching his own. He could feel his ears burning, his throat becoming dry. “I…even after everything you did, I still have feelings for you, Ales. I had to make sure you were okay.” 

Sneering dismissively, Ales pulls away from him, leaving Minimus strangely disappointed by the lack of closeness. ”Are you sure that’s it? You didn’t want to come here and ‘save me’? I know what a hero complex you and that band of moronic misfits have.” 

Minimus looks up at Ales for a brief second, catching his cold gaze, before letting it fall again. ”I…we all miss you, so much. It would make us so happy if you retur—”

The king’s cut off by loud, manic laughter from Ales - booming so loud it almost seems to echo through the factory. As soon as he stops his face falls to deadly serious, if not deadly. So menacing, that it makes Minimus shudder.

“WHY would I want to do ANYTHING that could make YOU happy after you ruined my fucking life! ” Ales yells, moving in on Minimus once again. As much as he would like to, the king finds himself too stunned to move, and is once again trapped. ”Are you really that stupid?”

“That’s not…we all—”

“NOT THEM. YOU! IT’S ONLY YOU! IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!” The magician is seething, shaking with rage. Dropping his head, he pants and trembles. His voice gets quieter. ”It’s only your fault…”

Minimus stares in shock, stunned for a few moments before he frowns. He hesitantly moved his hand towards Ales, trying to comfort him. Ales snaps back to attention though, smacking his hand away.

“DO NOT TOUCH ME!” Shaking his head, he steps away, still glaring. ”You ruined everything. I planned for years, everything was going to be perfect. And you ruined that. But you couldn’t stop there. Even after that…Mr. Dark, he found me. He offered to let me join him.”

Minimus eyes go wide at the mention of Mr. Dark, and he can felt worry start to pool in his stomach. It made him feel sick. 

“It should have been the happiest moment of my life, finally, I could be with the man I admired and loved so much, but…” Dropping his hands down to his sides, Ales clenches his fist, looking down. His breath became even more ragged, and he seemed unable to go on. After a few moments he spoke up again - his voice now quiet. ”I couldn’t accept it. No matter how much I wanted to be with him, I couldn’t.”

Looking up to Minimus again, his blue eyes filled with tears. The anger from earlier tried to show through, though the sadness was winning over. ”I couldn’t because of you. No matter how much I wanted to be with him I couldn’t, because he wasn’t you. I just wanted to be with you, because I…love you…”

Little sobs start to escape the magician and he looks away - trying to hide his face, falling to his knees. Minimus just stares at him, too confused by all of this. Everything Ales said still tries to register in his mind. The last thing Ales said rang in his mind. ’I love you.’ No matter how hesitantly it was said, it still came out.

Slowly the man walks over to Ales, kneeling down to him. It causes the blue haired magician to tense for a second, but he doesn’t push Minimus away this time. A small smile comes to Minimus’ face at realizing that.

Pushing his luck, he wraps his arms around Ales, trying to comfort him. The man tenses up again. To Minimus’ surprise, he returns the hug, holding him against him tightly while he cries on his shoulder.

Minimus rubs gently his back, trying to think of what to say. ”You could still be happy, Ales. Just with me, instead of Mr. Dark. We could be happy together.”

Ales shakes his head, sniffling. ”I thought about it. It couldn’t happen. I was so unhappy back then. And after what it wouldn’t be possible. No one would want me back.”

“I want you back,” Minimus holds onto him tighter, “and I know the others do too. We’re your friends, Ales. We all love you. If you come back, we can help you, and you can be happy.”

Ales doesn’t respond. For a while, they just sit in silence. Both are reveling in being so close - being able to hold each other for the first time in so long. Eventually, Ales nods. ”I think I would like that…”

Minimus pulled away slightly, smiling, cupping Ales’ cheek and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Taking a hold of one of his hands, Minimus squeezes it. ”Then let’s go home.”


End file.
